History

Yala was proclaimed forestry land on March 23, 1900. A British prisoner of war by the name of Aengal Brake was brought to Ceylon in 1907. Subsequently he was appointed the first keeper of the Yala Park.Later the first zone (Block I) of the Yala National Park established in 1938 and was 14,101 hectares in area.

On February 25, 1938 the colonials announced Yala Park as the Yala National Park. The Department of Sanctuaries was established in 1938 and A.D. Wijewardane was appointed its caretaker.

The Block II was opened in 1964 which included 9.31 hectares land area. The third zone (Block III) was established on April 28, 1967 was 40.775 hectares. The Block IV was opened on October 9, 1969 was 26,418 hectares the Block V was opened in 1969 was 6.656 hectares and further 28,905 hectares were constituted as protected area to the Yala National Park - Wikipedia.